2 BULLETIN 891, U. S. DEPARTMENT OE AGEI CULTURE. 



corn. The beetle has been observed also eating a fungus on quince 

 trees. 



Indirectly the larvae or grubs are responsible for considerable in- 

 jury on the grounds of golf clubs and on lawns. They injure also 

 corn, oats, sorghum, and alfalfa. Vegetables of many kinds are fre- 

 quently attacked and injuries have been reported to celery, parsley, 

 beets, turnip, lettuce, endive, strawberry, eggplant, potato, beans, 

 carrot, parsnip, collards, peas, and other plants. Among ornamental 

 plants, dahlia, rose, violet, geranium, hyacinth, and privet are at- 

 tacked. The larvae attack other forms of plants with comparatively 

 succulent herbaceous stalks, and such crops as melons, tomato, and 

 young sweet corn. The natural food plants are undoubtedly different 

 varieties of grasses, cultivated forms, including bluegrass, evidently 

 being more affected than those which are allowed to grow wild and 

 become weedy. 



The life history of the green June beetle has not hitherto been 

 followed out. Many interesting facts have been learned in regard 

 to its habits in its active stages, and an account of its natural enemies 

 and other data have been brought together, thus adding much to our 

 hitherto meager knowledge of its life economy. There is no longer 

 any doubt that the insect is more injurious in its larval stages than 

 as a beetle. Indeed the species does far more injury to vegetable 

 and truck crops, according to records which have been made, than 

 to fruits. 



CLASSIFICATION. 



The genus to which this species belongs is a member of the tribe 

 Cetoniini, of the family Scarabaeidae, in which the epimer 

 mesothorax are visible from above. A subtribe of the sar 

 has the elytra sinuate on the sides, and the mesosternum ilways 

 prominent. The mandibles are feeble, in great part membranous, 

 and the last spiracle is situated midway between the antei i 

 posterior margins of the segment. The prothorax is lobed at the 

 base, covering the scutellum. The genus Cotinis may fun her be 

 separated from related genera in having the clypeus armed wil 

 short horn, which is more prominent in the male. 



According to Bates (16) 3 the North American species c\ , 

 under the genus Allorhina are placed in the genus Cotinis oi 

 meister (1842). What Bates (16, p. 345-346) says in regar • • 

 mutabilis and C. sobrina is well worth quoting in this conne< 

 bearing about equally well upon the relationship of mutabittx ana 

 nit Ida. He writes : 



After careful examination of about 250 examples I have come to the con- 

 clusion that the characters adduced by Burmeister to distinguish this species 



3 Figures in parentheses refer to " Literature cited," p. 49. 



